Knights inspire Las Vegas locals to give hockey a shot

The Vegas Golden Knights are headed to the NHL's Western Conference Final, and their success is now helping introduce the sport to scores of locals.

Kyle Sayon, 25, always wanted to gear up, hit the ice and take a shot at playing hockey. He admits he fell within the first five seconds, but he intends to keep learning and possibly join a house league.

Sayon is one of a growing number of locals, both men and women, signing up for the adult hockey class at the Las Vegas Ice Center. The size of the classes has ballooned over the past year.

Jordan Van Son, the hockey director at the ice center, said the Knights’ success is a big part of that growth.

“Everyone watches the game, so they’re understanding the rules of it, but getting them to understand how to skate and control the puck while keeping their head up — that’s probably the biggest issue,” said Van Son.

The youngest adult enrolled in the hockey classes is 18 years old; the oldest is 65 years old.